Arroyo admits voice on poll tape was hers

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Philippines President Gloria Arroyo-Macapagal, fighting for her
political survival, has admitted it was her voice in a
controversial election tape but insisted she did not sway the
result of the 2004 presidential election.

Opposition politicians claim the tape shows the President trying
to influence the election outcome and suggesting what margin of
victory she would like to see over her opponent Fernando Poe
jnr.

Dr Arroyo apologised in a televised address to the nation last
night for a "lapse in judgement".

"I was anxious to protect my votes and during that time had
conversations with many people, including a Comelec (Commission on
Elections) official. My intent was not to influence the outcome of
the election and it did not," she said.

The comments on the election fraud scandal are the first time in
three weeks she has broken her silence on the issue and signals a
belated recognition that it will not go away.

Manila-based risk analyst Peter Wallace said: "The tapes have
the potential to pull her down if they are found to be true and
show the President manipulated the election.

"I recognise that making any such call was a lapse in judgement.
I am sorry. I also regret taking so long to speak before you on
this matter," the President said.

There is no law to stop candidates from talking to election
officials.

"Unquestionably, she has been damaged by not addressing the
issue," Mr Wallace said.

"Silence is golden, they say. But what does it say of the
President if she can't seem to come out in the open and
unequivocally deny committing electoral fraud... me thinks she
should deny or resign," said Ric1 on a Filipino web forum this
week.

Rumours of a tapped conversation first circulated in Manila's
coffee houses in mid-May and were dismissed as unsubstantiated
tittle-tattle.

Then, on June 6, Dr Arroyo's press secretary, Ignacio Bunye,
pre-empted the scandal by confirming the tape's existence, but said
it had been tampered with to incriminate Dr Arroyo and was part of
a plot to destabilise the Government.

The master tape, thought to have come from intelligence wire
taps, is said to be more than two hours long and contains
conversations recorded in May and June 2004, including some
allegedly between the President and an electoral commissioner
Virgilio "Garci" Garcillano.

The country is transfixed by the scandal. In Parliament, in the
press, at street markets and in the coffee houses people are
following the case closely.